If you love Matcha, you may know of Kuradashi Matcha. As with Kuradashi Gyokuro, it gains an enriched flavor and deep noble aroma and sweetness over time. Our Kuradashi Tea is aged in the granary for more than 1.5 years. (For more information, visit What’s Kuradashi Tea page.)

Tea leaves for this special tea are grown in the Ogura area and Eastern Uji area in the Uji region, which are both known as primary production centers of the highest grade of enriched Matcha and Gyokuro. Ogura is the location where Matcha was first grown, and Eastern Uji area is next to Ogura. At both locations, vast knowledge of techniques and experience growing high quality Matcha have been accumulated for hundreds of years.

Each leaf of this top quality tea is specially selected and carefully picked by our farmers' skilled hands. This special tea is made from a breed of tea plant known as Samidori. Samidori breed is suitable for Matcha and Gyokuro. Though the period of harvest for most breeds suitable for Matcha and Gyokuro is very short, Samidori is relatively longer. Many Samidori breed trees are planted in the Uji region where most tea farmers grow only high quality hand-picked teas. Because hand picking harvest takes much time, Samidori breed is ideal for farmers who grow only high grade Matcha or Gyokuro. And Samidori breed is a tea plant that cooperates well with the efforts of farmers to produce high quality tea.

For this Kuradashi Matcha Super Premium, tea leaves just after harvest, are steamed and dried in a special fire pit. The special fire pit is adjusted in many ways to dry tea leaves with higher temperature (140C to 200C / 284F to 392F) than usual fire pit. The smooth and mellow taste is uniquely brought out by the special drying process. The unique smooth and mellow flavor is also deepened by enrichment and aging. If tea leaves of a lesser quality were dried in the special fire pit, the fire would overpower the tea leaves and the flavor would be ruined.

Kuradashi Matcha is different from ordinary Matcha in aroma and flavor, so it may be enjoyable for you to compare this tea with regular Matcha. The superb enriched and sweet flavor and aroma of this special tea lingers in the mouth for a while. The aroma is full, but not too strong. The flavor is rich and subtle. The taste is both mellow and enhanced.

To grow the finest-quality Kuradashi Matcha takes not only time and effort but also tea plants passed down from prior generations, unique geographic and historic features, knowledge of how to grow and care for the tea plants, and knowledge of how to create Kuradashi Matcha from tea leaves. It is available only this autumn season, just once a year!